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The magic community in Central New York is remembering performer David Jackman, who spent decades entertaining audiences with comedy, magic, and circus-style performance. Jackman passed away at his home in Cicero on March 3 at the age of 66, according to reporting from Syracuse.com.
Jackman began performing at a remarkably young age. His love of magic started after a magician appeared at his sixth birthday party — a moment that sparked a lifelong passion for entertaining others. By the time he was 12 years old, he was already performing and making audiences laugh.
Much of Jackman’s career was spent performing alongside his identical twin brother Paul Jackman. Together they were known as “The Twin Magicians,” a duo that became a familiar sight at community events throughout Central New York.
According to newspaper archives cited by Syracuse.com, the brothers were performing publicly as early as the mid-1970s. One article from the Herald-Journal in 1979 described how the twins “astonished audiences with their many magic tricks.” By that point, they had already spent years performing at nursing homes, hospitals, and schools.
Their reputation as entertainers led to a unique opportunity in 1979 when David Jackman was selected to attend the legendary Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College in Florida. The program was highly competitive — Jackman was one of just 60 students chosen from nearly 4,800 applicants nationwide.
During the intensive program, students trained daily from morning until evening, learning a wide range of circus skills including juggling, comedy acrobatics, unicycling, slapstick performance, and clown makeup techniques.
Jackman later described the experience as one of the greatest of his life.
“The circus is a very exciting life,” he said at the time. “I would recommend the program to anyone.”
After completing the program, Jackman returned to Central New York where he continued performing. Throughout the 1980s he and his brother became a regular feature at Syracuse’s Wise Guys Comedy Club, serving as the “anchor act” during the club’s Tuesday night amateur showcases.
Jackman also became a familiar face during the holiday season, performing magic at Dey’s Department Store during its popular “Breakfast with Santa Claus” events.
Outside the stage, Jackman worked at the historic Hotel Syracuse, where he spent 24 years as both a performer and waiter. He was also active in the magic community and was a member of both the International Brotherhood of Magicians and the Society of American Magicians.
According to his obituary, Jackman is survived by his twin brother Paul, his sister Cynthia McGinnis, several nieces and nephews, and two beloved cockatiels.
David Jackman’s life was devoted to bringing laughter and wonder to audiences — a tradition he began as a child and continued for more than five decades.
Source: Syracuse.com
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Magic collectors, performers, and fans of the mysterious will have a unique opportunity this spring as the Magic Castle Swap Meet returns to Hollywood on April 25. According to Los Angeles Magazine, the beloved event has become a gathering place where magicians and enthusiasts can buy, sell, and trade everything from vintage magic memorabilia to unusual curiosities.
The swap meet traces its roots back to the legendary Larsen brothers — Milt and Bill Larsen — the co-founders of the Magic Castle. Both were passionate collectors of antiques, art, and magic artifacts, filling their homes with decades’ worth of fascinating items from the world of illusion. Eventually, with more collectibles than space to display them, the idea of hosting a swap meet was born.
Magician and Magic Castle ambassador Rob Zabrecky recalls attending the event many years ago and watching it grow into a tradition among magicians and collectors.
“You imagine what a Magic Castle swap meet would be like,” Zabrecky told Los Angeles Magazine. “How wizardy is this? At first it was mostly magicians, but now it’s opened up to the public.”
The event attracts a wide range of attendees—from seasoned professionals searching for rare pieces to curious newcomers hoping to pick up their very first magic prop.
Vendors often offer an eclectic mix of items. Zabrecky says the tables can include everything from plastic thumb tips and sponge rabbits to vintage spook-show posters and old magic booklets. Collectors also hunt for unusual items like retro Magic Castle T-shirts and other nostalgic pieces from magic history.
Over the years, some truly strange finds have appeared for sale. Attendees have spotted Houdini-themed neckties, handmade oddities, and even the preserved skeleton of a rabbit displayed under glass.
For working magicians, the swap meet can also be a place to discover inspiration—or even an entire act.
Zabrecky recalls once purchasing the full performance materials of a late magician, including VHS recordings of his routines.
“I bought everything,” he said. “It was like learning a bunch of cover songs. It gave me a fascinating look into how this performer worked.”
Because restoration work is currently underway at the historic Magic Castle, this year’s swap meet will take place just down the street at Hollywood United Methodist Church. The sales tables will be set up in the same gymnasium famously featured in the Back to the Future “Enchantment Under the Sea” dance scene.
With the kinds of unusual items that show up at the Magic Castle Swap Meet each year, attendees say they wouldn’t be surprised if someone eventually tried to sell an actual time machine.
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